Anne has been a practicing attorney since 2007. She began her work by clerking for the now President Judge of the Lancaster Court of Common Please, the Honorable Dennis Reinaker. Anne then pursued her legal career helping indiviudals who are unable to afford attorney on their own as a trial attorney in the Lancaster County Public Defenders Office. Anne along with her Husband became partners at Bentley, Gibson, Kopecki, Smith, P.C. where she practices Family Law cases, including Divorce and Child Custody as well as handling DUI and other Criminal Law matters.

Joshua Tebay is a passionate personal injury and criminal defense attorney at Ciccarelli Law Offices in West Chester. He believes strongly that as an attorney he has the responsibility to maintain unquestioned professional and ethical standards in dealings with clients, other attorneys and the court. At Ciccarelli Law Offices, Joshua handles a variety of complicated and unique cases. He primarily practices in personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, work injuries, workers compensation, nursing home neglect, slip and fall and animal attacks. He also has experience fighting for the rights of clients in drunk driving accident cases,...

Have you been accused of a crime in Reading? Are you considering the option of filing for bankruptcy? Do you need help in a family law case? You should contact Attorney Curtis Barnes and his team to learn how he could help you. Curtis is a graduate of the Florida State University in Tallahassee where he studied Criminology. As a student, he worked at the Florida State Attorney General’s Office where he was able to gain experience in investigating criminal offenses. He then went on to attend the Delaware Law School of Widener University where he graduated with his law...

J.T. Herber, III primarily practices in the fields of criminal defense and civil litigation, including personal injury. His criminal defense practice includes the representation of clients facing felony and misdemeanor charges, as well as serious traffic violations in the Courts of Common Pleas throughout central and eastern Pennsylvania. Attorney Herber previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in Schuylkill County. In civil cases, J.T. represents plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of civil disputes, including personal injury and wrongful death cases, as well as real estate, commercial, construction, landlord-tenant, and collections matters. Despite being...

Attorney Gearty and Gearty Law Offices strive to always provide individualized representation and high quality and aggressive representation. We are experienced trial and appellate attorneys. Attorney Gearty is the winner of the 10 best attorneys for family law in PA award, LNP's reader's choice award for top law firm, top 40 under 40, and more awards. See our website and facebook page for our awards and our many positive client reviews. Our firm handles many areas of law, such as: child custody, divorce, adoption, criminal defense, personal injury, unemployment appeals, general civil litigation, and more. ...

Chris grew up in Lancaster and graduated from J.P. McCaskey High School in 1970. In 1974 he graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame, where he received a BBA in Accounting. Before entering law school he worked in Chicago for a Big Eight accounting firm and became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois. He graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1978. While in law school he was employed by the United States Department of Justice Tax Division, Washington, D.C. After graduation from law school Chris began practicing law in Lancaster. He has...

Christopher A. Dreisbach concentrates his practice on criminal defense and civil litigation in both state and federal courts. Since entering private practice, he has defended individuals facing the most serious of criminal charges including rape and homicide. In civil actions, he has successfully represented individuals and corporations in cases involving federal civil conspiracy allegations, regulatory violations, and complex personal injury matters. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Dreisbach served for four years as a Deputy District Attorney in the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. During his time as a Deputy District Attorney, Mr. Dreisbach successfully prosecuted a vast...

Ms. Longer is a graduate of Villanova Law School and has been practicing in Lancaster County for over 15 years, after several years as a corporate attorney.
Ms. Longer has significant appellate experience and welcomes referrals from other attorneys whose practice does not include appeals. Prior to joining the Bar in Lancaster County, Ms. Longer was the Vice President and General Counsel of Intelligent Electronics, Inc., a publicly-traded national franchisor and distributor of computer products.

Andrea E. Mertz is an attorney with Polyak Law Office, P.C. Ms. Mertz's practice focuses on defending vigorously the rights of the criminally accused. She has significant experience in representing individuals at the pretrial and trial levels of adjudication. She has a background of helping individuals overcome significant challenges in their lives. Ms. Mertz received her Juris Doctor from American University in Washington, D.C. in 1996, and her Bachelors of Arts from Purdue University. She is a member of the state bars of Pennsylvania and Maryland and the United States District Court for Eastern District of...

Reading, PA attorney James Polyak specializes in criminal defense. He is a graduate of Penn State and Widener University School of Law. After law school, he completed his internship at The Berks County District Attorney's Office in Reading, PA. In 1992, he was hired by The Berks County District Attorney as a full time Assistant District Attorney, where he prosecuted crimes including Robbery, Rape, Burglary, Drug Possession, Theft, Assault and DUI. In 1994, he was promoted to Chief Prosecutor of the Child Abuse Unit of the District Attorney's Office. After gaining valuable experience as a prosecuting attorney in Reading, PA,...

Ann is an experienced trial attorney who learned her craft in the tough courtrooms of Philadelphia. Ann has been advocating for her clients, in and out of the courtroom, since 1992, and became a proud member of the litigation team at Ciccarelli Law in 2016. Ann is admitted to the bars of Pennsylvania, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She earned her juris doctorate from Widener University School of Law, while working as a law clerk for a litigation firm in Philadelphia. After graduation, Ann accepted a position with the firm she clerked for,...

A graduate of Gettysburg College and Duquesne University School of Law, Ryan Buchanan brings with him years of experience as a detailed and passionate litigator. Before joining Ciccarelli Law Offices, Ryan worked under the tutelage of a Pennsylvania Trial Judge By working closely with a trial court judge for years, Ryan developed exceptional legal research, writing, and analytical skills that are necessary to be a successful attorney. Ryan worked in all areas of the law, which included criminal, civil, and family law matters. It was during this time that Ryan decided to focus his...

As a Berks County native, Daniel Emkey understands its citizens and truly cares for their well-being. He believes strongly in the legal system and pursued his career in defending the people’s rights. Daniel earned his Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law where he was a member of the Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic and participated in the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program. He went on to work at the Berks County District Attorney’s office as the Assistant District attorney. His time as a prosecutor gave Daniel special insight that he uses to help his current clients. He now heads his...

Robert D. Beyer is a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California in 1979, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida in 1982. Mr. Beyer is a former Assistant Public Defender and a former Assistant District Attorney in Lancaster County. He also served as conflict counsel in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Beyer is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States of America, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the...

Born in Scranton Pennsylvania but a resident of Lancaster County since infancy, Sam is a graduate of Manheim Township High School in 1966, where he was a member of the County championship tennis team for two years, a member of the National Honor Society, and the Candlelight Singers (a cappella group).
He received the Access to Justice Award in 2002 from the Lancaster Bar Association for pro bono work, and was elected President of the LBA in 2006.
The LBA judiciary committee rated Sam highly recommended for a judgeship on the Lancaster County Court in 2005 and 2007.

Born and raised in Doylestown, Riley has called Southeast Pennsylvania home for over 26 years. The youngest of four children, Riley was raised in a family that stressed the importance of community involvement and team work. Riley’s Father is a volunteer firefighter and always pushes his children to ask what they can do for others. Through various school projects and involvement in Boy Scouts, Riley has always been driven to help the people in his community and he brings that enthusiasm into his practice of criminal law. Riley uses his skills and knowledge as a criminal defense attorney to serve...

Criminal Lawyers in Nearby Counties

Criminal law addresses the government's prosecution of individuals who have been accused of committing a crime. Such laws may be federal, state, or local. The prosecution represents the people of a particular jurisdiction, and acts on behalf of the government by bringing a case against an accused. Under the U.S. Constitution, a person accused of a crime may have the right to a criminal defense attorney during interrogations and certain other times before and during a trial.

Whether you are under police investigation, have been arrested, or are facing charges, having an advocate familiar with the criminal justice system.

Most jurisdictions classify crimes as felonies or misdemeanors, with felonies being the more serious offenses with the possibility of more severe sentences. Some criminal lawyers focus on a specific area of criminal defense law, such as white-collar crime, drug offenses, theft crimes, or violent crimes. You should consult with a criminal defense lawyer early on in the process to preserve options, such as diversion programs or plea bargains.

When hiring a criminal defense attorney, you should evaluate the experience and fee structure of the attorney. Some offer a free consultation to discuss your case.

Accomplice liability:
If a person aids, assists, or encourages another in the commission of a crime, they are criminally liable as an accomplice to the crime.

Self-defense:
The claim that an act otherwise criminal was legally justifiable because it was necessary to protect a person or property from the threat or action of another.